There's something instantly comforting about walking into Sharlene's. The vibes are exactly what you want from a dive bar, especially on chilly days when the dark, cozy interior feels extra inviting. It's a great place to catch up with friends, with a solid beer selection and surprisingly good cocktails. The jukebox and pinball machines add to the charm and keep things fun. I also appreciate that they offer a few snacks (I usually go for the jerk chicken patty or some chips). Easygoing and unpretentious local spot. read more

Sharlene's - Beer - Dive Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

This will be a shorter review than normal. My daughter and I went here for a nightcap. She goes here a quite a bit. It is an old school place with a crowd of regulars that sit at the expansive bar. It is cool and dark inside. People were friendly and the bartender certainly knew how to make a drink. She made me feel right at home. I am sure that I will return for a more in-depth review next time I am in Brooklyn. read more

Is Sharlene's the best bar in America? There's a case to be made. Is the vibe immaculate? Yeah. Do they make the meanest dirty gin martini I've ever had for $12? Yeah. Can you bring in outside food? Yeah. How's the tap list? Not half bad. What's the whisky pour on their bud and whisky combo? Hefty. I love this bar. read more

Overall rating: 4.5 I came here around 1:30 am and it's very low-key bar. I was hoping it was more a vibrant bar when my friend suggested it since it closes at 4am, but it felt like it was closing down. During the daytime, it looks like a very local bar. So just not sure if it's the right bar for me. Might be worth checking out in the early afternoon. read more

I came here for a quick drink. The bar was dark and dimly lit and very loud. Sitting right next to someone and I could still barely hear. They do have unlimited soda and decent drink selections. The bathrooms were decently clean. They had pinball games and a jukebox available. They didn't serve food, mostly snacks like pretzels and patties (jerk chicken and beef). read more

This was a good classic just neighborhood bar! The happy hour food deals looked good but we didn't end up eating. The happy hour drink deals were ok! Pretty standard for the area. We were both very happy with our drinks though and the bartenders were great! They were so helpful and were good about checking back in with people even as the bar got busier. Definitely a cute space with a juke box and a couple games read more

Sharlene's - Dive Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

This place is the tits. The epitome of a dim, candle-lit Brooklyn dive bar. Affordable drinks, super chill music and they open quite early and stay open pretty damn late. Staff is very friendly and engaging. Shout out to Greg, he's top tier, tip that man. Ok, bye. read more

Great classic dive bar. I'm a visitor but it was cool to see the bartender talk with the regulars. Drinks are good and so are the people! read more

Sharlene's - Hot Cider & Bourbon - Dive Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Stopped in right when Sharlene's opened for the day. The bartender was lovely and poured us two beautiful drafts. $10 wiskey & bud light combo. A fantastic little pup with great deals!! read more

Sharlene's - Bud Light - Dive Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I have been coming to Sharlenes since the beginning of the new year. I am a regular here and come about three nights out of the week. I love all the bartenders Nick Karolina and Elsie are great. I am definitely a fan of nicks Long Island Ice-T's. Great vibes great atmosphere for a dive bar and great conversation. I will always return here for a quick drink in the middle of the week! read more

This is a cute no frills bar. There is adequate space and people here just seem to be chill. Enjoy the fact that they serve hot cider. This is good for people who do not like to drink alcohol but go to a bar to just hang. I like this place. read more

Great atmosphere, not to crowded.grear drinks. Had a long beach it was very good quality read more

Sharlene's - Long beach. - Dive Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

This bar is actually awesome and the prices are fair for a bar in this area. The only problem when I went in on a Saturday was the bartender. She was probably the fakest person I have ever met and she would do this fake smile at you and as soon as she looked away she made a face as is if she just served some idiot asking for a drink. Not only that, she would slam your beer bottle on the bar when she gave you your drink. Just completely rude and if you don't want to deal with people then don't be a bartender. Everything else about this bar is great. Nice people hanging out there and I thought the beer selection was not bad. I would go back even though the bartender is terrible. read more

One of my favorite bars. Unfortunately, it's frequented by unbearable NYC media types. No matter -- killer atmosphere and great staff. Get drunk quick and cheap. Lovely. read more

Cold drinks, friendly bartender, air conditioning. And it wasn't crowded on a Friday afternoon. Classic dive bar.

Mainly writing reviews so that my 1-star review of another business looks legit. 5 stars all around. Everything these other jabronis say is FAKE NEWS. Especially the reviews by people who just can't leave out the fact that "I'm a bartender, so I KNOW" or the one that says "Poser bar" - like what does that even mean. This is your dream bar. Go to there. read more

3.5 stars This place has a cool vibe. Definitely a dive bar feel with dive bar music. This is my second time here and my experience was exactly the same as the first time. Maybe a little better. The bartenders are attentive and make the drinks pretty standard. I opted for a glass of Pinot noir for $6 and got a dark and stormy for $7. The drinks had me slightly buzzed which is what I was looking for. My girls and I are always able to get three seats and always manage to attract the attention of super drunk white boys lol, which is okay. Nothing particularly blew me away about this place but my friends and I keep coming back here when we're in the area so they must be doing something right. Come here to throw back a few beers and chill out with your buddies. This is the perfect spot for that. read more

Dark and somewhat dingy, Sharlene's is an excellent place to hide from the world and drink your Sunday away. Or your Saturday. Or a Tuesday afternoon. And once you're sufficiently snockered, you can play pinball. Or some board games. Or you can just play some songs on the jukebox and yell incoherently at the other patrons for not giving your selections the attention they deserve. I don't know if I've done all of that here, but I think I have. And I recently woke up with a review draft for Sharlene's and the only note I made was, "Puta madre." So there's that. read more

The bartenders here are so rude and full of themselves. They have some good stuff on top but the experience is totally not worth it. Avoid.

Solid no frills neighborhood bar. Great place to host a casual group event in the area. Plenty of space, never too crowded, you can order food to the bar (we usually order pizzas from across the street) and good beer selection. BONUS: They also have pinball machine. read more

Good bar. Good Juke box. Crowd seems pretty cool. Very diverse. But a little "cliquey". Beers are a good deal for happy hour. Couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I had Mr. Wonderful also as my bartender. (mentioned in another review for this spot) I was drinking for at least 2 or 3 hours, having a good time with my buddy. Being my normal, cordial self. Not over the top, and not too cool. We weren't being loud, and just mixing up some good tunes on the diverse track jukebox. Tipping normal prices per each round. When I asked for a short beer instead of a pint, I was rudely steered toward the $3 pint. I kind of KNOW WHAT I WANT, and I really don't like asking twice. Also.....I don't know... Maybe I expect too much? But if I'm hanging out for a couple of hours, the bartender usually gives me at least ONE drink on the house. It's just good for business. However, unfortunately that didn't happen. (even though that wouldn't sway my review) Even with all that stuff being really just an annoyance, this place still rates a solid 3 stars. Decent free food of pigs in a blanket, etc. under sterno heaters. Unfortunately sometimes business' give off a feeling that they don't want you to return. Sometimes they get their wish. read more

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This was the last bar I drank at before sheltering in place. I came alone, waiting for my girlfriend to come home from work. I'd worked up a sweat, having stuffed my backpack with potatoes and cans of tuna from a grocery store several blocks away. I'd then wandered for several blocks in search of a place to have a drink and unwind for an hour or two. I was glad to find a dive to rest at. A cold drink really hit the spot. It's a day I remember more vividly than most. There was a certain giddiness in the air, the anticipation that something novel and unprecedented was coming our way very soon. It was a strange and special feeling, one that will always be tied to this place. It was a fine bar to have a drink at before the world changed forever. read more

Love this bar. We came in after a brunch and we got to drankin. Great service. The bartenders POUR! Super reasonably priced. Try the Triple Rum Punch ($8)! They played hard bop, my fave kind of jazz. I loved it and I am coming back. ok. bye. read more

Cool digs, but the bartender's shitty attitude turned me off. I'm not expecting Dolly Parton, but c'mon, be a human being. He clearly would have much rather stayed in bed and DEFINITELY didn't want to help us out. I was gonna buy a shirt, which was kinda cool, but now I don't want to own a shirt from this dismal place. Won't be back... Revision to one star from two (30 min later) - I heard that while I was in the bathroom, some girl came in and wanted to return a keg, and was asking for help. The jerk of a bartender clearly didn't want to help her, and it was only after the girl practically begged that he brought a dolly around. The guy was actively hostile to his customers. read more

Very nice bar with good prices. I went for draft special off $4 on Saturday afternoon. Nice bar tender and pet friendly. They have food but I did not try. They also allow outside food and there is a decent wing place next door. Overall great location and prices and nice service. Will return. read more

Sharlene's - Bar at Sharlene's - Dive Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Maybe the best dive bar in Brooklyn? Clean and friendly with good prices. It's such a terrific mainstay. I miss it during all this madness.

Sipped on dark and stormys all night...the bathroom is too small for this big girl. I love the vibe hanging out with friends here it's not too loud with whatever juke box sings. read more

Sharlene's - dig these chips - Dive Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I just ended up here because a certain yelping friend had to pee. Her full bladder led us to this wonderful bar. What's good about it? 1. Decent cocktails at reasonable prices. 3 of us started with Dark and Stormys. While not quite as good as what I've had at Patty Boom Boom in DC (WHAT? something that's BETTER in DC than NYC? Is that possible?? Apparently so, woo woo), it still was well done and had enough kick to make one of my companions intoxicated after 3 of them. I was feeling relatively sober though, so I suppose he's a lightweight like that or was just looking for an excuse to poorly attempt to hit on a lady- but I digress. Anyway, I also had a bourbon based cocktail that I felt was superior to the Dark and stormy but unfortunately I'm blocking on the name (hmm, maybe I wasn't as sober as I thought I was). 2. Good jukebox that plays music just at the right level where you can clearly hear it but can also tune it out and converse with your companions. 3. It's CLEAN. I really was amazed how clean it was. The decor was dive bar like but the cleanliness made it clear this place was not a dive. So nice to go into a bar's restroom and not be inspired to puke. I also dug the candles on all the tables. 4. Friendly bartenders who happily engage the clientale. The only downer was the draft beer options. I mean there were a couple good options but it really wasn't that extensive and too many macrobeer choices if you ask me. If I were the bar owner or manager, i'd definitely ditch a couple of them and choose different beers. Maybe I've just become a snob like that... Regardless, that is a very minor blemish and if I lived in the area, I'd definitely frequent this bar often. read more

The most important bar of the neighborhood (and beyond really). Always open when all the other ones have closed way too early, great atmosphere, mixed audience. A great hang to chat with friends, talk to strangers at the bar or simply sit by yourself and decompress. read more

Ventured over to Prospect Heights to come to Sharlene's for a friend's birthday. It's spacious and divey with a casual ambience - a very OK experience, but probably not something I would travel from Williamsburg again on my own. I came in on a Saturday night around 9:30pm and there was a good amount of people in the bar, sitting at tables and at the bar. Noise level is very reasonable so you can actually hear the people you're talking to. The entire bar -which is quite large- is decorated with very dark wood and low lights. The bathrooms were not the cleanest in the world, but for a dive bar, it's whatever. When the bar gets crowded, it tends to run a little warm so be prepared! For how large the bar is, bartenders were reasonably attentive but not friendly, and prices are middle of the road. They have an entire menu of cocktails, some of which are seasonal. I had a cold cider and vodka cocktail called the Tatanka ($9,) which was not great. I switched to a regular cider drink for the rest of the night and it was more of what I was looking for. They also had a bourbon and hot cider drink, which is probably what I should have gotten in the first place, but that was my own fault. For about 3 drinks and soda water for my boyfriend, my total was $22, which is reasonable for a birthday occasion. All in all, a decent experience. I'm sure it could be a spot if you live in the area. If I'm back, I'll make sure to try that Bourbon and Cider drink first. read more

If I could give zero stars I would, we just left. The girl working here tonight, I say tonight but it's technically the morning (sep 19-20) was so rude to us. When we got there, she ignored us for three minutes, not because she was slammed, but she was just talking. I'm a bartender myself. I've been a bartender in NYC and Brooklyn for 4 years, and in the service industry in general for 11. She didn't apologize or acknowledge the fact that we had been waiting. When she came to us she wouldn't stop talking about her other customers and asked for our drink order at least 5 times. (It was just a tequila soda and gin and tonic) HOLY SHIT. For another two rounds she never remembered our order or bar tab. (Which is totally understandable when you're busy, but they weren't). It took forever to get her attention. When another bar patron came up to the bar to close his tab, to be helpful to the bartender, not in a patronizing way, we told him we would tell her his name when she finally came over again. We did, and she made a big deal about it. When we asked to close our tab, she said, and I quote "Are you going to close your tab without getting the whole bar involved?" After this we were in shock, still tipped her more than 20% (bc again, we are in the service industry and we get that things get stressful) and then asked her if we could get two shots of house tequila on the house before we left. She asked us why she would ever pay for our drinks. And then, I know it's rude of us, and we WERE angry at this point, but we called her out, about how rude and neglectful she was that night, and we left. I have literally never written a yelp review, but I have also never been treated like I was treated at this bar tonight. I have nothing against this establishment in general. But this bartender needs to be trained to work in a bar. I don't mean to sound cocky, but I've worked for some of the most prestigious bar owners in nyc and I've never seen them tolerate an employee that acts like this. Best of luck. read more

I love Sharlene's! My roommate and I would frequent often, and since she moved out to get married, I haven't been back much. Coming back here for a happy hour felt like old times! Also, Zapp's chips are WHERE ITS AT! Awesome music. Treat yo'self. Dear Sharlene's, Long as I'm alive, please don't chance. Or close. read more

My favorite bar! the triple rum punch is the best, and the atmosphere is cozy and the best neighborhood spot.

Cool little neighborhood bar, although definitely not for me. Standard happy hour, dim bar lighting, and average ambience. I would have given this place a slightly higher rating if the bartenders were a little more amiable, but I did enjoy the jazz selection-a sharp contrast from the typical Top 40 pop junk blasted into your eardrums. They deserve a golf clap for that. read more

So, I went to this bar bought a couple beers inside of the bar then left to go sit outside of the bar (they had benches outside) and a worker there (white man) yelled at me in front of a crowd of people (all white) and told me not sit AFTER I spent money there. Meanwhile, I was the only person of color outside. This was really embarrassing and could've been handled differently. The guy could gently explained why I couldn't sit there or any other way other than yelling at the only black girl in the crowd. This was disgusting and im NEVER going back there again, and neither should you. read more

Avoid this place Friday nights at all cost. Mainly because of one reason - the self-hating Asian bartender with a sour attitude will make your night miserable by doing one of the following: slow as molasses service, carding patrons over 30 years old, forgetting simple orders and just overall maximum grumpiness. Hello? You're in a service industry. If you're that miserable behind the bar, find another job. read more

Wow - i seem to be the only one to buck the trend on this and that makes me wonder if its not you its me or something but i have to put this out there anyway. I have gone in here a few different times and was thrilled to find that they had cider on tap....the first time there were two bartenders and one was fine, not overly friendly but amiable, but the other (some Asian guy) was a full on A55H073. I was alone, just stopping to see how the place is so i made small talk with the fisrt bartender with the standard banter. The second one, i asked a simple question about the obscure football (real, not American) jersey he was wearing. I asked what team it was (yes i know all the major teams and their colors, but this was bright green black and orange. so i asked "what team is that?" he looked at me with annoyance, pointed to the tiny crest on his chest (halfway down the bar) and said "it says it right here" Dic* I went back twice after this and the same thing transpired. At one point i was even getting on well with the bartender on first shift and this ray-of-sunshine jerk comes in and proceeds to ignore me except to throw my drinks at me until i left with a sudden and mysterious gastronomical EMERGENCY just as though someone put saline (visine) in my drink.... Never going back read more

This bar kicks ass. I'll tell you why: 1. It's got a great loooooooong bar. Who doesn't like a long bar? It greatly increases your chances of getting a seat at the bar. If you don't appreciate that, you should be at home or in a restaurant, sitting at a table. 2. It's a few steps from the subway station. Rough day? Got canned? Got promoted? Sharlene's is right there to greet you, no matter the reason. 3. Feel. It feels classic. Lots of wood, some mirrors (I think), and no TVs (and I like TVs!)... This place feels old school. 4. The jukebox. I'm not going to go into details here- everyone's got their own tastes, especially when it comes to music... But this jukebox has something for everyone. 5. Sharlene! Very nice and attentive when she's working. (A previous reviewer mentioned something about a moody, slow Asian guy... Well, he was right about that.) read more

I'm in a more sour mood than usual, since I recently noticed that the Mooney's in Bay Ridge has also closed. Well, Sharlene's replaced Mooney's Flatbush branch. You'd be stunned to learn that I'm dismayed by the results. You might think I object most to the candles and fancy flowers. What is this, the Stork Club for social workers and IT gurus? Well, the worst part is really the fact that one of the Mooney's bartenders is still behind the bar. I don't begrudge him his job. But I do begrudge the bar's owners their malicious (and successful) attempt to give me permanent nostalgia pangs for the days of OTB, clear beer, and old men listening to Mets games on their headphones in the bar. read more

In response to Thomas B. I was sitting at the bar at Sharlene's the evening in question of your review. Your female friend was, in fact, being a c-word. She was goading the bartender with inappropriate questions, you left no tip on a $77 check, a mean note on the check, and said rude things to the bartender on leaving. Yes, he yelled the c-word at your female friend and told you not to come back, which he is allowed to do because it is his bar. 15 minutes later you came back in yelling at the bartender (not "asking" like you say). He chased you out, because he had asked you not to come back in, and you had and you were disturbing the rest of us. If the bartender had actually physically harmed you in anyway, he would have been arrested, which he wasn't, so you are just making stuff up to cover the fact that you and your friend need to feel big and decided to pick on Sharlene's. I have been a regular at Sharlene's for two years because I feel safe and respected there. None of the staff puts up with rude, aggressive, or hostile customers. Go somewhere else if you want to be rude and start fights on Tuesday evenings when the rest of us are trying to have a nice evening at an awesome local bar. read more